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Even Stronger Than They Look: Chris Cormier

The Real Deal's hard & heavy leg workout

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Greg Merritt

In the ’90s at Gold’s Gym Venice, you could witness a dozen or so of the world’s best bodybuilders toiling daily. Of those, Cormier was known as much for his strength as his physique—and that’s saying a lot. Over his 14-year pro career, the Real Deal won 11 contests, finished third in the Olympia twice (1999, 2002), and was second in the Arnold Classic six consecutive years (2000–05). Still, for those, like yours truly, who witnessed his workouts in the Mecca in the ’90s, it’s the scary numbers he put up—especially on chest and leg days—that impressed the most.

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He incline-pressed 525 for 2 and 405 for 12 (halting each rep about three inches above his chest). He did 1,200 pound leg presses for 30, 900 pound reverse hack squats for 10, and 675 pound squats without even a belt. Cormier’s workouts were always the real deal.

CHRIS CORMIER'S QUAD WORKOUT

1. Leg Extensions: 4 sets of 15 reps*

2. Squats: 5 sets of 8-20 reps

3. Leg presses: 4-5 sets of 12-20 reps

4. Hack squats: 4-5 sets of 8-15 reps

5. Leg extensions: 4-5 sets of 15-25 reps

*warm-up sets

Check back tomorrow for another workout from one of our 10 Strongest Bodybuilders!